Welcome to Brookhaven High, where some girls would die to be part of the in crowd. One is a killer; before the school year is over, three will die. Who will make the cut? The pretty little devils is the most popular clique in school. Sylvia Orly is the ruthless ring leader of the clique. Megan Williams and Carolyn Bosch will do anything to stay on Sylvia's good side. Ellen Schmidt is the group's scapegoat, and the newest member, Hazel Stone, just wants to be noticed. Popularity comes with a price because of the things one has to do in order to keep in good standing. The other big player is Brandon Wilde, one of Brookhaven's jocks. He is juggling relationships and has tons of girls after him. Matty Vardeman is the mysterious new guy who has caught Hazel's attention. Breana Wu, head cheerleader, will do whatever it takes to get what she wants--and what she wants is Matty. She is also the PLD's top rival. It is a very interesting book that will keep one "at it" to the end because of the mystery and the intrigue. It is a bit disturbing because of the cruelty and attacks against weaker and not-so-popular students. This book is thought provoking because we know that some of this behavior goes on in our schools. It will probably become a popular book with teens. 2006, Razor Bill/Penguin, Ages 14 to 18.
—Naomi Butler
Hazel Stone longs to be part of the popular high school crowd, but her good looks and classy style haven't been enough to move her up the social ladder. Imagine Hazel's excitement when Sylvia Orly, the most popular girl, recruits her to be a member of The Pretty Little Devils, undoubtedly the most elite group. Hazel will pay any price to prove her worthy, enduring an induction of social lessons, devilish tactics, and sinister pranks. Alarm sets in when no one from within the group claims credit for mysterious threatening messages, casting suspicion on various outside enemies. This book will keep readers on the edge of their seats as suspects' motives are revealed, but prepare for ultimate suspense when the murders begin. Cleverly written using personal blog style dialogue, it is a must-read for suspense thrillers.
Cross Mean Girls with Scream and you have the makings of Holder's novel about the dark side of high school. The PLDs are the most popular clique in their school, and Sylvia, their leader, not only hooks them up with babysitting jobs to fund their shopping habits, but also orchestrates the practical jokes they play on each other and their biggest rival, cheerleader Brenda Wu. Big, dark houses where teen girls are babysitting by themselves are prime venues for suspense, and in this case, even murder. The plot centers on Hazel, a girl who envies the PLDs and wants nothing more than to be one of the popular girls. Lucky for her, Sylvia picks her out as a potential replacement for one of the PLDs not holding her own. Thrilled by her newly established popularity, Hazel soon comes to understand that being one of the "in" crowd, being invited to the "right" parties, and getting set up with her crush don't come cheaply. Holder spices up her prose with chat room, e-mail and blog excerpts that reveal an anonymous interloper who's out to destroy the Pretty Little Devils, but readers are never sure just who HAPPY2BME is...until it's too late. KLIATT Codes: JS--Recommended for junior and senior high school students. 2006, Penguin, Razorbill, 250p., Ages 12 to 18.
—Michele Winship
Gr 8 Up-The four Pretty Little Devils are the most popular young women in their California high school, more so even than the cheerleaders. They are also a little bit naughty; they bend the school rules and get away with it. They have a rigid code for their group, including intervening when one of their own is "slipping" (e.g., Ellen's hairstyle is unacceptable). Hazel has worshiped the PLDs from afar and is surprised and thrilled when they invite her to join them. Soon after her initiation, however, it becomes clear that something is radically wrong when the head cheerleader-the PLDs' sworn enemy-turns up dead. This fast-paced read is interlaced with chat-room conversations, blog entries, and text messages. Unfortunately, the dialogue is stilted, the characters are static and stereotypical, and the narrative seems to normalize underage drinking. The plot also fails to ring true: popular kids rarely bring a "nobody" into the fold. Nevertheless, the gripping suspense may attract R. L. Stine fans looking for another author. An additional purchase for libraries with extensive, well-circulating horror series collections.-Leah Krippner, Harlem High School, Machesney Park, IL Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.
The perils of popularity may be too much for Hazel as she joins the eponymous clique of girls in the "in crowd" at her high school. Hazel agrees to shun her former friends, neglect her schoolwork and subject herself to the rule of Sylvia, the intimidating leader of the Pretty Little Devils. Hazel achieves her goal; other students either envy or hate her. She endures the pranks her new friends love to play on her. Soon, though, real deaths occur. First animals and then a student are brutally killed. Hazel realizes that someone close to the Pretty Little Devils may be a homicidal maniac. Could it be Hazel's new boyfriend, the handsome hunk Matty, or someone else even closer to the group? Suspense builds in this examination of adolescent social mores, as Hazel's new popularity may not seem worth the price to many readers. An interesting, scary mystery. (Fiction. YA)
[A] page-turner. (Booklist)
Gripping suspense. (School Library Journal)
. . an intense, scary read. (Kirkus)
